National litter and flytipping consultation: business and regulatory impact assessment

9.0 Digital Impact Test

56. Changes to policy, regulation or legislation can often have unintended consequences, should government fail to consider advances in technology and the impact this may have on future delivery. This digital impact test is a consideration of whether the changes being made can still be applied effectively should business/government processes change – such as services moving online. The below details the evaluation of the proposed market restrictions on current and future digital developments. Overall, it is viewed that the proposed legislation will not have an adverse impact on digital technology developments.

Table 4: Digital Impact Test Questionnaire

Question 1. Does the measure take account of changing digital technologies and markets?

Potential changes in digital technologies and markets are being accounted for during the development of this strategy

Question 2. Will the measure be applicable in a digital/online context?

Any potential impacts would apply equally to both online and offline retailers, as they apply to all affected products placed on the Scottish market and subsequently littered or flytipped.

Question 3. Is there a possibility the measures could be circumvented by digital/online transactions?

Products that could be littered or flytipped are sold both by traditional and online retailers, any potential impacts would also need to apply to online transactions to be effective and meet the stated objectives.

Question 4. Alternatively, will the measure only be applicable in a digital context and therefore may have an adverse impact on traditional or offline businesses?

The legislation would be applicable equally to both digital and traditional businesses and would therefore not result in an adverse impact on traditional or offline businesses.

Question 5. If the measure can be applied in an offline and online environment will this in itself have any adverse impact on incumbent operators?

No.